Ventilated shoe.



W. SHAW.

VENTILATED SHOE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.7, 1903.

908,507. Patented Jan.5,1909.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER summon BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, Ass c-non TO UNITED snore MACHINERY COMPANY, or PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION or NEW JERSEY.

VENTILATEID srion:

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 5, 1909.

Application filed January 7 1908. Serial No. 409,663.

provements in Ventilated Shoes, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification.

. This invention relates to ventilated footwear and is intended to provide a ventilated shoe which 'shallbe economical in construct1on, ornamental 1n appearance and have other advantages hereinafter pointed out. Y

In ventilated shoes as heretofore constructed the pumping action of the foot in walking was re uired to draw air from the h long passages, conduits, tubes and the like into the interior of the shoe and to expel the heated air from the interior through'the same or similar passages.

These conduits were frequently between the upper and its lining or in the sole of the shoe, and they were necessarily expensive, cumbersome and weighty eontrivances. and had to be built into the shoe in the process of its manufacture." Any system of. ventilation depending solely upon the pumping action of the foot was of course useless as a ventilating means'while'the foot was at rest, or when the shoe was not being worn. All such prior ventilating means failed to produce a ventilated shoe'satisfactory to the public inprice,

appearance, weight, or efliciency, and the use of such shoes has never become. general but has been. limited to special orders and" hence to a comparatively small trade. 'Further mo'resuch shoes were found to fail in a most important particular, 'nainely- 1n conveying proper ventilation into the lnterior of the toe portion of the shoe where ventilation is most i needed and where the action of the foot in 1 walking or running and the consequent heat is greatest.

This invention is intended to overcome the difiiculties and objections heretofore incident to the use of a ventilated shoe.

Among the objects of this invention is to provide a ventilated shoe with ventilating means which can beapplied to a shoe either during the process of its manufacture or after it is otherwise completed, and at practically no increased cost either case, to provide ventilating means which shall be efiective While the shoe is oil the foot as well as while it is being Worn, and which shall also be effective whether the wearer is walking or at. rest, and also to provide ventilating meanswhich shall not add to the weight of the shoe and which will not detract from its appearance. These objects are secured in-the shoe of this invention by forming in the upper ventilating holes so located that they do not attract attention and do not detract from the appearance of the shoe. These holes are preferably formed in the edge of the toe tip where it is customary to fornrperforations for the purpose ofornamenting the shoe. So located, the holes are not noticeable and in fact, escape the attention of a casual observer. The holes may extend only through the 'upper materials without penetrating'the lining, but preferably they will extend entirely through both the upper materials and the lining, thus affording direct and unbroken connection with the interior of the shoe. In the preferred form of the present invention eyelets are set in the ventilating holes, thus ornamenting' the shoe and securthou gh the seam uniting the toe tip and 1 vamp is usually formed with a double row of stitching. The greatest strain upon the upper during the wearing of the shoe is exerted at the tip seam, as is Well-known, and such strain is particularly severe upon a shoe having a box toe.

A further obj eet oi this invention is to preserve the box toes of shoes, particularly in the case of patent or' enamel leather shoes. Patent leather is so prepared that it is rendered substantially air proof, and it is particularly dilileult to dry outthat portion of the shoe coveredby the box. It has been found by experience that the moisture ordinarily remaining in the interior toe portion adjacent to the box toes tends to roteven thebest b'uiltlboxes causing them to break down because the box absorbs the 'moisture s0 remaining in the toe portion after the shoe is removed from the foot of the wearer. This fault is common both to the ordinary old style. ventilated shoe and to the non-ventilated shoe. i

- It is an important feature of the ventilated shoe herein shown 'to provide for quickly drying upthe moisture in the interior toe portion, especially of patent leather shoes, y suitable means of ventilation adiacentto the box. Such means of ventilation does not require a current or flow of air, to be forced through, as in the case of long passages or tubes, but enables the exterior air to cominingle with the interior and thus to absorb quickly in the shoe. In the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 is a perspective View of a low cut or Oxford shoe embodying a preferred form of the invention, wherein 1 designates the shoe, 2 the vam 3 the toe tip orthe box toe, and 4 and 5 t e usual rows of stitching forming the tip seam.

It is usual to ornament, the tip by numerous erforations, such as 13, in the marginal portion ofthe tip and this invention as herein shown comprises a shoe having ventilating wearer or not.

holes in place of some or all of said ornamental perforations. Preferably these ventilating holes extend entirely throu h the materials composing theu per and the ining. It is also deemed preferab e, as shown in the drawing, to set eyelets 6, 7, 8-, 9, 10, 11 and 12 in the ventilating holes. Th'us ventilation is provided, directly to the interior toe portion of the shoe adiacent to the box and such means ofventilation are effective whether the shoe is upon the foot of the The air passages are so short and direct that ventilation is constantly maintained, affording comfort to the wearer and relief from perspirin feet,and furthermore serving to dry upt e moisture iii the shoe quickly when'the shoe is removed from the foot and thus preserving the box from breaking down. It will be readily seen that these ventilating holes'are practically invisible taking the place of similar perforations usually formed in the outer layer of the tip. While ventilation through the holes may be increased by the action of the foot within the shoe during walking or running, such action is not essential to secure the advantages of this invention. When eyelets are set'in the ventilatingholes, as is preferable, they also prevent the tip seam from breaking and by using ornamental eyelets of a propriate size the attractive appearance of t e shoe may be eatly increased. I

This ventilated shoe oiiers a decided advantage to the retail shoe merchant, as shoes can be conveniently equipped with this means of ventilation upon the order of. a customer and after the shoes have been fitted and sold. Hence the retailer need not carry'an expensive stock of high riced, slow selling shoes to meet thedeinan a for ventiany moisture which may be lated footwear but is enabled by this invention to suppl that demand from shoes ordinarilyecarrie in stock. 7 It also obviates the troublesome and unsatisfactory method of ordering specially made ventilated shoes which often do not fit after they are made and when tried on by the customer.

One of the many objections to ventilated shoes is that rain and moisture are apt to weather. It will be noted that an advantage of the ventilated shoe herein shown is that the ventilating means are positioned where they may be effectually covered and protected by the ordinary rubber overshoe, and they in no wise interfere with the use of overshoes.

Having described my invention, what I claim asnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A shoe having a plurality of ventilating holes extending entirely throu h the materials of the toe tip, vamp an lining and having eyelets set in said holes.

2. A ventilated shoe, having a-plurality of ventilating holes at the junctionofthevamp' and toe tip and having eyelets set in said holes.

.3. A shoe having a series of ventilatin --l1oles across the tip seam between the paralle rows of stitching which secures said seam and having eyelets set in said holes.

4-.- shoe provided with a plurality of eyelets at the tip seam as securing means for the vamp and toe portions of the shoe upper.

5. A shoe having a toe tip provided with the usual ornamental perforations the marginal edge of the tip and having a vamp provided with holes in substantial alinement with the holes in the toe tip whereby ventilation is afforded for the toe portion of the shoe while the appearance of the shoe is substan-' tially unafiected by the provision of the ventilating means.

6. A shoe having a tee tip provided with the usual ornamental perforations. in the marginal edge of the tip, having a vamp pro- 'vided with holes in substantial alinement with the holes in the toe tip and having eyelets set in said alining holes whereby vent1la-- tion is afforded for the toe ortion of the shoe while the appearanceoft e shoe is substantially unaffected by the provision of said ventilating means. I

In testimony whereof I have :signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses; r

. ALTER SHAW. Witnesses: .1

JAMES R. HODDER-,'.

I ARTHUR L. RUssELn.

70 penetrate the ventilating means in wet 

